Diligence and Intelligence
by hermionebunny
Summary: Harry Potter/Prince of Tennis crossover. By a series of coincidences, Hermione Granger and Tezuka Kunimitsu cross paths. The two hardworking, highly logical teenagers befriend each other at once. Will the pair bond further, or will their separate worlds come between them? (This pairing was waiting to happen, in my opinion).
1. A Stumble

Hermione despised summer for three reasons. First, summer entailed less time to study. Second, the heat muddled her brain. Third, time away from Hogwarts made her lonely.

Japan was especially time-consuming, especially hot, and especially far from Hogwarts. So when her parents proposed a trip to Japan, Hermione was crushed. Maybe her parents had nice dentist friends there, but Hermione would face isolation.

To preserve her parents' feelings, Hermione agreed to go. But in her head, she wished for the summer of seventh year to speed by.

…

Tezuka Kunimitsu adored summer for three reasons. First, summer entailed more time for tennis. Second, the warm weather was conducive to tennis playing. Third, time away from Seigaku allowed the tennis team to bond outside of school.

In his excitement about summer vacation, Tezuka had arranged for a sojourn in a villa. The villa, which Tezuka had rented from his wealthy friend Atobe, stood atop a mountain. The building was luxurious, nearly a mansion. More importantly, its backyard accommodated top-quality tennis courts.

Tezuka had invited his team to the villa for a week. "There, we can practice tennis extensively" he had explained.

The Seigaku regulars had nodded, resigned to sacrifice their time for relaxation. "Yes, Captain," they had agreed, subdued.

That day, the team had arrived at the villa. They now ran laps around the tennis courts, accustoming their feet to the new surface.

Tezuka urged his team to sprint faster, wishing for the summer of senior year to last forever.

…

Hermione hiked up the mountain. She sweated despite the shade of the pine forest.

Her parents were currently at the air-conditioned Tooth Museum in Tokyo. Yes, Tooth Museum- Hermione had laughed disbelievingly when she heard the name. But the museum truly existed, and her parents were visiting it. Since Hermione lacked interest in dentistry, she had opted for a solitary hike. Now, simply because of the heat, she regretted her decision.

Hermione trudged up a particularly steep slope. She began to fear that she would never reach the peak. Then she heard voices above her. They spoke in Japanese, which sounded like gibberish to Hermione. Curious nonetheless, she strained her ears to listen.

"Twenty more laps," shouted a stern voice. Groans filled the air.

"Stop complaining, or I'll make it thirty," commanded the voice.

Hermione heard emphatic _"no"_s, then the drumming of feet against ground.

Curious to see the speakers, Hermione resumed her ascent up the slope. A fence came into view. What was the flat green surface beyond it? A tennis court?

As Hermione squinted through the fence bars, her foot caught on a tree root. Hermione's ankle caved inwards, and she toppled over. She shrieked as her body landed on the rocky ground. Her head hit a stone, and everything went black.

…

"Did you just hear a girl scream?" Eiji Kikumaru demanded, skidding to a halt.

The other team members nodded, stopping as well.

Tezuka frowned. "I'll see what's going on," he told everyone.

_What a bother,_ he thought to himself. _I wanted them to practice with no interruptions._

Tezuka exited the court, slamming the fence door behind him. He descended the hillside next to it. Several yards down, he caught sight of a girl sprawled on the ground. She appeared to be about his age, European, and utterly unmoving.

Tezuka rushed up to her. He placed his hand on her heart. There was a pulse- she was not dead.

Tezuka shook her shoulders. "Hey, wake up," he yelled.

The girl did not stir. A breeze blew her bushy, brown hair over her face.

Sighing, Tezuka scooped her up in his arms. "What a distraction," he said to himself as he carried her up to the villa.

…

Hermione awoke in a lavish four-poster bed that reminded her of the dormitories at Hogwarts. The sheets felt silky beneath her. A fan cooled the room; pastel curtains fluttered in its wake. Hermione yawned and stretched, smiling contentedly.

"How can you be happy right now?" a voice demanded in Japanese.

Hermione spun toward its source. A teenage Japanese boy sat in an armchair next to the bed. His posture was rigid, his expression stolid. Thick glasses covered his otherwise handsome face.

"S-sorry, but I can't speak Japanese," Hermione spluttered. "I'm from England."

"That's fine," the boy replied in nearly fluent English. "I can communicate in your language, as well."

"Wow," said Hermione. "Where did you learn how?"

"English is one of my favorite subjects at school," the boy explained.

"You actually study?" Hermione gasped. "I've never met a boy who takes school seriously."

The boy cocked an eyebrow. "I take everything seriously. Do you?"

"Oh, yes," Hermione gushed. "I love school. I love every single class. Once, I even used a Time-Turner to attend extra classes."

"Excuse my imperfect English, but what's a Time-Turner?" the boy inquired.

Hermione gulped. Why was she spilling secrets of the Wizarding World to this stranger?

"Er, what's your name, anyways?" she asked to change the subject.

"Tezuka Kunimitsu," he responded, straightening to his full height. "You?"

"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.

She sat up on the bed and extended her hand. Tezuka shook it. Something about his firm grip felt reassuring.


	2. Examination

"Pull off the blankets," Tezuka commanded Hermione.

"Wha-what?" cried Hermione, reddening.

Tezuka blushed as well. "Er, I want to examine your wounds," he explained hastily, "from falling. Could be dangerous."

"O-oh," mumbled Hermione. Where had her wittiness vanished to?

She folded back the blankets to reveal her torn, dirtstained jeans. Tezuka's eyes roved over her body with the businesslike expression of a doctor. Hermione blushed despite herself. Why couldn't she act like her normally rational, reserved self?

Tezuka placed a hand over her head. How soft and wavy her hair felt. He inwardly reprimanded himself for noting such trivialities.

He cleared his throat. "No concussions," he announced.

"Thank goodness." Hermione grinned. "Where did you learn to examine people this way?"

"I spent months at a hospital," Tezuka replied. "There, I picked up medical knowledge while I watched doctors at work."

"You must be observant," Hermione remarked. "If this isn't too personal a question, what sent you to the hospital?"

"I injured my arm during a tennis match," Tezuka sighed. "Actually, I'm still rehabilitating."

"That's unfortunate," murmured Hermione. She straightened. "Well, I should get going. My parents will worry otherwise."  
Tezuka nodded and extended an arm for support.

Hermione gripped it with a rapidly pulsing hand and stepped of the bed.

When her feet met the floor, she shrieked with pain. Her left ankle throbbed excruciatingly.

She was beginning to lose balance. Tezuka leapt from his chair and scooped her into his arms.

"You must have sprained your ankle when you fell," he deduced, brow furrowed.

"How awful," Hermione groaned, though for some reason, she felt far from awful in Tezuka's grasp.

"You probably won't be able to hike down in this condition," Tezuka said.

"I could effortlessly fix my ankle with magi-" Hermione stopped short, shocked at her own carelessness. "I mean, yes, the healing process will take time."

Tezuka lowered her onto the bed gently. "You could stay here," he said, though Hermione detected reluctance in his voice.

Hermione brightened. "Really?"

"As long as you don't disturb my team," said Tezuka, straightening menacingly. "They're supposed to practice tennis nonstop this week. An attractive girl in their midst may distract them."

"I'll stay out of the way," Hermione promised. "Wait, _attractive_ girl?"

Tezuka cleared his throat. "I was speaking objectively," he muttered.

Hermione snorted, suddenly irritated. "Of course. You don't seem like the type who would suffer from meritless attraction."

"Neither do you," Tezuka retorted, an icy edge to his voice. "Well, I have to go captain my team now. Enjoy your rest."

He strode out of the room, shutting the door rather hard.

"Well, you do experience unreasonable rage," Hermione called after him.

"As do you," snapped Tezuka's voice from beyond the doorway.

_But I didn't used to,_ he thought to him self. _What is it about that girl that aggravates me?_

...

Hermione extracted her cell phone from her pocket, which was thankfully unharmed. She dialed her mother's cell.

Mrs. Granger picked up on the first ring. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER?" she shouted.

"Calm down, Mom," said Hermione. "I just twisted my ankle during the hike, and-"

"THEN HOW CAN I CALM DOWN?" bellowed Mrs. Granger. "You're stuck alone on a mountain in a foreign country and-"

"I'm fine," Hermione cut in. "Some people found me and are taking care of me. Can I stay here for a week, until my ankle heals?"  
"What kind of people are you with?" demanded Mrs. Granger.

"Just a high school tennis team," Hermione replied. "They're really nice."

"Boy team or girl team?" asked Mrs. Granger suspiciously.

"Male," said Hermione.

"THEN ABSOLUTELY N-"

"But they're harmless, Mom," Hermione continued, as though she had not been interrupted. "All they care about is tennis."  
"Okay," muttered Mrs. Granger doubtfully. "But call me if comes up. Immediately."

"I will," Hermione assured her mother. "Bye, see you in a week."  
She hung up.

Tezuka stood listening behind the door. His stoical expression was belied by the twitching corners of his lips.

**...**

**AN: That's the end of Chapter Two. Suggestions would mean a lot to me- I need reader feedback! Stay tuned for Chapter Three.**


	3. Lots More to Learn

Hermione sat upright in bed, reading _Hogwarts: A History_ for the twenty-second time. She internally thanked herself for packing the book. She had nearly decided against bringing it on her day hike. Now, however, it was her only book for an entire week.

A knock sounded on the door. "Come down for dinner," Tezuka's voice called.

"I can't walk," Hermione yelled back.

"I know. That's why I brought these." Tezuka opened the door and strode in. He handed her a pair of crutches.

"Wow, thanks." Hermione hopped off the bed, a crutch in each hand. She leaned her weight on them. "Where did you get these?" she inquired.

"Injuries are common in tennis," said Tezuka with a shrug. "I anticipated leg injuries among my teammates."

"You're pretty foresighted, aren't you?" commented Hermione. "My friends Harry and Ron would never think ahead like that."

Tezuka suppressed a grin. "Stop fawning and come downstairs. My teammates are waiting to meet you."

...

Hermione halted nervously at the dining room entrance. Tezuka nudged her, and she edged her way in, spirits bolstered.

Eight heads turned toward Hermione. Seated at a long, mahogany table, the group of Japanese boys stared at her. Hermione squirmed, unaccustomed to being the center of attention.

"Stop staring at her; it's rude," snapped Tezuka in Japanese.

"Stop getting worked up; it's unlike you," Momo retorted. He winked at Hermione. "You're too cute to have to put up with our grumpy captain."

"What did he say?" Hermione whispered to Tezuka.

"He said you're annoying for distracting his captain from the team," said Tezuka, scowling. "I quite agree."

From the end of the table, Ryoma coughed, narrowing his eyes mischievously at Tezuka.

Tezuka reddened. How could he have forgotten that Ryoma spoke fluent English? "Anyways, I should introduce you formally," he told Hermione. "Everyone, this is Hermione Granger."

"Hi, Hermione," the team chorused in rudimentary English.

Hermione barely listened. _How did Tezuka remember my full name after hearing it once?_ she wondered.

"Hermione, this is Fuji," continued Tezuka.

A gentle-faced boy smiled a squinty-eyed smile at Hermione, who smiled back.

"This is Inui," said Tezuka.

A boy with pointy hair glanced at Hermione. His thick glasses glinted menacingly. "Chance that you'll cause conflict in the team: 96%," Inui said.

"Kaidou." Tezuka gestured toward a boy with a serpentine face, who grunted unintelligibly at Hermione.

"Takashi." The boy next to Kaidoh waved meekly.

"Oishi." A tall, round-faced boy nodded to Hermione.

"Kikumaru." A redheaded boy nearly jumped out of his chair in excitement. "Hoi, hoi," Eiji sang. "Let's have a lot of fun together! We can eat lots of sweets and watch the stars and-"

"Shut up, Kikumaru," Tezuka hissed. "Hermione, this is Momoshiro."

The boy who had first addressed Hermione grinned at her. "Yo."

"And lastly, this is Ryoma. He speaks fluent English."

A boy who looked younger than everyone else nodded to Hermione.

"Er, hi," said Hermione. She trailed off, unsure what to say.

"Mada mada dane," said Ryoma. "You still have lots more to learn."

"Excuse me?" demanded Hermione, indignant.

"Don't take it personally; that's his motto," said Tezuka. He turned to his teammates. "Everyone, stop staring at her and eat."


	4. Oddly Behaving

On the morning of Day Two at the villa, Hermione sat on the bleachers by the tennis courts. She propped her injured leg on the bench below hers. Hermione watched the Seigaku team practice.

Ryoma hit a Twist Serve. The ball bounced in an unexpected direction and hit Kaidou in the face. Kaidou toppled to the ground, hissing like a snake.

"Try harder, Kaidou," Tezuka yelled from the sidelines. "You could have returned that serve."

Although Hermione did not understand their Japanese dialect, she could not believe that Tezuka was scolding Kaidou. "What did Kaidou do wrong?" she called to Tezuka. "That was the best serve I've ever seen."

"You're not a tennis player," the captain retorted. "You wouldn't understand." But he turned to Kaidou and said, "I understand that it was a fast serve, though."

Kaidou shot Tezuka a questioning glance through his slit-shaped eyes. Tezuka had never offered him such leeway before.

On the next court, Momo hit a smash an unbelievable height. Takashi jumped away from the zooming ball, which nearly embedded itself in the court.

Momo waved to Hermione, grinning. "Did you see that, Hermione?" he shouted. "It's a dunk smash, my specialty."

Hermione waved back, smiling.

"Shut up, Momishiro," Tezuka snapped, tone sharper than necessary. "Focus on your plays alone."

As Hermione laughed at Tezuka and Momo's argument, a tiny owl soared to her.

Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl.

_Uh-oh_, she thought. _They'll notice something un-Muggle._

She inconspicuously seized the envelope from Pigwidgeon. Then she hissed, "Fly back to Ron immediately. Shoo."

But it was too late. Kikumaru had noticed Pigwidgeon with his acute eyesight. "Hey, is that an _owl_?" he gasped, pointing at Pigwidgeon.

The rest of the team squinted at the owl.

"It is, indeed, an owl," observed Inui. "To be precise, it's a White-Faced Scops owl, or _Otus leucotis. _It's typically found in Africa between the Sahara and the Equator. Its presence in southern Japan is quite a mystery..." His voice trailed off, for nobody was listening.

"Why's it so attached to Hermione?" Momo demanded. "It keeps pecking her."

Tezuka glared at the bird who had distracted his players. There was something eerie about its proximity to Hermione. "Hermione," said Tezuka, "do you have any idea why this owl is behaving so oddly?"

"Er, no, none at all," spluttered Hermione. "I know nothing, nothing at all."

"Okay," said Tezuka, though his eyes remained suspicious. "I'll let it pass, as long as the owl doesn't come back to bother us." He straightened his glasses, which glinted in the sunlight. "Back to practice, everyone. Hurry up, unless you want to run fifteen laps."

At long last, Pigwidgeon flew away. Hermione heaved a sigh of relief.

...

That afternoon, alone in her bedroom, Hermione tore open the envelope from Pigwidgeon. Her eyes scanned the letter inside, which read the following:

_Hey Hermione,_

_Why'd you disappear off the face of the planet? Where the bloody hell are you? _

_Harry and I are at the Burrow. It's boring without you._

_Reply ASAP,_

_Ron_

Hermione ripped a sheet of paper from her notebook and scrawled a response:  
_Hello Ron,_

_Glad to hear from you and Harry. Are you both enjoying yourselves at the Burrow?_

_I'm at a villa in Japan. A kind high school tennis team is hosting me. The captain, Tezuka, speaks flawless English- we've become quite close. _

_I have not been able to read as much as I planned, but I am enjoying the change of pace. Tennis is actually really interesting. It involves brains as well as muscle._

_See you in September._

_Best wishes,_

_Hermione_

Hermione had sealed her reply in an envelope when she noticed Pigwidgeon hovering by the window. Perfect. She opened the window, handed Pigwidgeon the envelope, and watched the owl zoom away.

...

That evening, Pigwidgeon arrived at the window with another letter. Surprised, Hermione accepted it and unfolded it. It read the following:  
_What do you mean exactly by "close"? You can't live with a bunch of boys who are strangers. That's so un-Hermione-ish._

_By the way Harry and I are coming._

_-Ron_

Hermione dropped the letter. _Coming? _To the villa? Ron could not mean it.

The message struck her as so implausible that she disregarded it. When Tezuka entered to announce dinner, Hermione smiled at him brightly.

She followed him down the stairs. "You boys are so self-sufficient," she remarked.

Tezuka shrugged indifferently, though a corner of his lips twitched upwards/


End file.
